Collapsible tent



I Feb. 23; 1932. s, MILLS 1,846,496

COLLAPSIBLE TENT Filed Jan. '2, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 23, 1932 s, MILLS 1,846,496 I GOLLAPSIBLE TENT Filed Jan. 2, 1929' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 23, 1932 UNE'EED STATES SAMUEL MILLS, F CLEVELAND, OHIO COLLAPSIBLE TENT Application filed. January 2, 1929.

My invention pertains to a collapsible tent and more particularly to a unitary skeleton frame and attached fabric covering which is alternately quickly erectable or readily collapsed and folded to very compact form suitbodying my invention embraces several novel features contributing to realization of the ,following objects:

1. Foldable poles or legs. 2. An automati cally operating locking device for holding rigid a pole or poles articulated end to end.

3. Inversely foldable sections of a composite pole. 4. A central structure articulated with the upper extremity of each pole together with a device for accomplishing rigidity of such a multiple connection and locking means for the device when in its functioning position. 5. A fabric covering secured at a plurality of points to the skeleton frame and including the double top together with means for holding the two top pieces of fabric apart.

6. A member attached to the central portion of the outer top fabric and adjustably connected with the frame. Other minor features all of which will be disclosed by the detailed description.

It is to be realized that the scope of my invention comprehends many equivalent constructions. Theshowing of the drawings and the particular description are merely specific exemplifications of a plurality of mechanical embodiments and arrangements.

Advertmg to the drawings: Figure 11s a perspective View of an erected tent of an exemplifying design and embodying the structural features of my invention; a quadrilateral tent being disclosed with four composite poles, the upper ends of which form a pyramidal top; said view having an upper corner portion broken away to disclose the interior construction.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 fol- Serial No. 329,876.

lowing the first step in folding the tent by permitting the pyramidal upper part gravitationally to collapse to a position within the confines of the four sides.

Figure 3 is a view of the tent following the second step of folding or collapsing after unlatching the articulated connections of the two lower sections of each pole and after causing the elbows to rest upon the ground.

Figure 4 is a view following thefinal step consisting of folding up the lower sections of the poles against the already folded groups of upper sections. V

Figure 5 is a perspective View of a duffel bag enclosing the folded tent to facilitate handling and transportation.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the method of fastening a false inside top to the top sections of the poles.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a modifying and simplifying form of tent partly collapsed and in which the top diagonals or'upper third pole sections are omitted and in' which a connector of appropriately modified form is employed to hingetogether the upper extremities of the poles.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the uncovered skeleton frame shown in the same position which it occupies in Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a View of the skeleton frame by itself in which the parts correspond in position to that in which they are shown to as sume in Figure 2.

Figure 10 is a view of the frame corresponding'to the position of itsparts in Figure 3.

Figure 11 is a view of the completely folded frame corresponding to Figure 4.

Figure 12 is an enlarged vertical axial section of the center bracket.

Figure 13 is a bottom plan viewed on line 1313 of Figure 12 with one turnable. part illustrated in an alternative position bydot and dash lines.

Figure 14 is a vertical section on line 1t14' of Figure 12.

Figure 15 is an enlarged elevation of one of the upper pole articulatingconnections.

Figure 16 is an enlarged elevation of one of the lower pole elbows with its automatically operating catch in functionating position.

Figure 17 is a view of the elbow connection bent to the position which it occupies in Figures l and 11.

Figure 18 is an elevation taken on line 1818 of Figure 17, showing the elbow structure as it appears from the inside.

The completely assembled and erected tent of the style I have exemplified in Figure 1 shows the collapsible skeleton frame covered with canvas C, set over a floor F, provided with a. window 7, secured at corners in the usual manner with stakes S and additionally braced with guys G. It is to be understood that the flooring, window, stakes and guys are optional depending on preference or neccssity, After the guys have been detached and the stakes withdrawn and the structure progressively collapsed and folded to the compact form in which it appears in Figure 4, it may be enclosed in the conventional waterproof duffel bag B to be carried e1ther on the running-board of an automobile or in the seating compartment of any automobile.

Directing attention to Figure 8 it will. be observed that the skeleton frame comprises four composite poles each comprising a lower section 1 having its upper end hinged at 2 to the lower end of an intermediate section 3. While the drai'ings exemplify the pole sections to be of tubular formation (metal or possibly bamboo) the type of end to end hinge connection will of course "ary to suit the shape and material of the pole sections which should preferably be light in weight yet adequately strong. I have evolved a peculiar end to end hinge articulation between each section 1 and 8 which is shown in enlarged detail in Figures 16 to 18 of which scrutiny is now invited and in the description of which the singular number will be employed.

I have preferred to locate the axes of the. hinges 2 on the radially outward sides of the poles. A link t is disposed on the side of the connection diametrically opposite with respect to the hinge and connects ears 5 at the upper end of the section 1 with ears 6 formed on a sleeve 7 which is slidably mounted on the section 3. Hinged intermediately of its ends to the sleeve at 8 is a detent including a downwardly projecting end 9, normally pushed away from the sleeve by a spr ng 10, and also including an upwardly pro ectin curved end 11 provided with an aperture l; through which a correctly located projection 13 will be caused automatically to project thereby locking the sections 1 and 3 to rigir ity when they are moved into alinement. When itis desired to unlock the hinge connection, just described, it merely becomes necessary to apply finger pressure to the end 9 so as to raise the end 11 clear of the projection 13 and momentarily so hold it until an initial bending operation has caused the aperture 12 to move downwardly beyond the projection.

The upper end of each section 3, as exemplified, fits within a hollow unit 14, hinged at 15 to a similar hollow unit 16 in which is fitted the lower end of an upper third section 17 of each composite pole. This construction is shown in enlarged detail in Figure 15 and constitutes one of the four upper corners. It will be seen that the several sections 1 and 3 when rigidly alined converge slightly in an upward direction and the sections 17 con-- tinue upwardl at a lesser angle with respect to a horizontal plane to approach each other at a central point where they are fitted in hollow members 18, hinged at 19, as for instance with a stove bolt 19a, between four quadrantly spaced forked extensions projecting circumferentially from a hollow bracket 20, within which is snugly fitted a bushing 21. he lower end of the bushing 21 projects from the bracket 20, and is there fashioned with screw threads 22 with which a nut 23 cooperates to loosely hold in place, against the lower margin of the bracket 20, a spider 24 fashioned with four equispaced arms. The spider 24: is turnably adjustable and the end of each of its arms is designed as a laterally open loop 25 adapted partially to enclose one of the sections 17 near its point of connection with the bracket 20 and when in such position acting to transfer the rigidity of each spider arm to the articulated connection of the particular section 17 with the bracket 20. \Vhile I have shown all of the spider arm extremities sim ilarly fashioned to embrace each one of the sections 17, one such detachable means for transferring rigidity would be adequate to prevent hinge action at all of the four hinge axes 19. To prevent accidental dislodgement of the loops 25, during use of the erected structure, 1 fashion the free end of each loop as an ear 26 to which is turnably bolted, at 27, a latch 28 adapted to swing across the open side of the loop, as shown in Figure let.

Slidably fitted in turn within the bushing 21 is a tube 29 adapted to be fixed in any chosen position through the agency of a conventional type of set screw 30 which is in screw threaded engagement with the bracket 20 and passes also through a registering opening in the bushing 21. The upper end of the tube 29 is fixedly enveloped by a head 31 against which the central portion of the canvas covering C is clamped by means of a nut 32 cooperating with the screw threads 33 at the upper extremity of the tube 29.

It is preferable, both in the interest of heat insulation and as an insurance against dripping from the tent top to provide a false inside top which is spaced from the actual top of the tent. For this purpose I have arranged to have the upper sections 17 Gll'lblilCC-(l by U-shaped brackets 34, as shown in Figure 6, having alined oppositely projecting extenends of the tubular sections 3. Otherwise the construction of the modified form is the same as disclosed in the preferred form.

When the folded tent has been removed from its enclosing bag it will be caused successively to assume the positions shown in Figure 4, 3, 2 and 1. First the lower sections 1 are swung downwardly from the position in which they appear in Figure 4 to the positions in which they appear in Figure 3. Next the hinge connections 2 are raised bodily and further swung to the position in which the sections 1 and 3 approach alinement until presently the detents automatically function by the snapping of the projections 18 through the apertures 12 whereupon the tent will be self-supporting in the position in which it appears in Figure 2. Then the person erecting the tent will enter through its door and push upwardly against the bracket 20, which is hanging interiorly from the top thereof, as appears in Figure 9. Such upward pressure will cause a separation of the alined poles and when the upper pole sections 17 reach a osition in which they slope slightly upwarc toward the center, the spider 2th is turned until the loops 25 embrace the section 17 after which the latches 28 are caused to lock the spider ends. Finally the erector pushes up the tube 29 until the pyramidal top proper is taut in which position it is maintained by tightening the set screw 30. In the takedown procedure the series of steps is reversed except that at the near final step the detents, for the hinge connections 2, must be manually released. Loosening of the set screw will permit gravitational collapse of the top and sliding depression of the tube 29. Shifting of the latch 28 followed by a slight turn of the spider will permit gravitational collapse and interior sagging of the upper sections 17 to the positions which they occupy lIl Figure 9, A manual release of the detents thereafter permits each lower section 1 to be swung upwardly toward the outer sides of the sections 3 preparatory to a constricting and compressing action to cause all the parts to assume the smallest possible compass. When the sections are swung to alinement with the sections 3 during erection of the tent, the links f fortuitously serve to shove away any portion of the fabric which might otherwise enter between the end surfaces of the sections 1 and 8 to prevent their desired firm abutment. Another merit of my invention is that all of its parts are constantly connected as a composite structure thereby simplifying while avoiding likelihoodof misplacement or loss of any part.

I claim:

1. In a collapsible tent, the combination of a plurality of poles each comprising sections hinged together end to end, a member hinged to the upper extremity of each of said poles, and a spider turnably carried by said member and provided with the same number of arms as there are poles for respectively locking corresponding upper hinge connections.

1 2. In a collapsible tent, a hollow bracket provided with a plurality of radially projecting ears, a corresponding number of poles having their upper ends hinged to said ears respectively, and a spider turnably carried by said bracket and having the ends of its arms formedto embrace said poles respectively merely upon turning adjustment of said spider.

3. In a collapsible tent, a skeleton frame comprising a plurality of poles each including a plurality of sections hinged together end to end, one pair of sections of a pole being inversely hinged with respect to another pair of the same pole, means for locking the lower hinge connection of each pole, the upper hinge connections being caused to assume an obtuse angle, a central bracket hinged by substantially horizontal axes to the upper exremities of said poles and means turnably carried by said bracket and laterally attachable to and detachable from some of said poles during turning adjustment for preventing gravitational collapse of said pole and bracket connections.

4. In a collapsible tent, a skeleton frame having a fabric covering comprising a plurality of poles each including three sections hinged together end to end, the upper pair of sections of each pol-e being hinged to fold inwardly and the lower pair of sections of each pole being hinged to fold outwardly, means for locking the connection of the two lower sections of each pole, the upper hinge connections being distinct and the upper sections converging obliquely upward to a central point, a central bracket hinged by substantially horizontal axes to the upper extremities of said poles, means for preventing gravitational collapse of said pole and bracket connections, and a device attached to a central part of said covering and adjustably connected with said bracket.

5. In a collapsible tent, the combination of at least three composite poles each comprising an upper section, said upper pole sections adapted to converge in an approximately horizontal plane toward a common point, a bracket hinged to each of said upper sections and means turnably connected with said bracket and adapted during its turnable adjustment laterally to embrace whereby to look all of their hinge connections with said bracket.

6. In a collapsible tent, a bracket, a plurality of poles having upper ends hinged to said bracket, means turnably mounted 011 said bracket and adapted to loop around an upper pole end for holding said connections rigid and complemental locking means cooperating with said holding means to encircle said pole end.

7. In a collapsible tent, a plurality of composite poles each articulated end to end, a connecting structure permanently hinged to the upper ends of said poles, means wholly carried by said structure and adapted to loop around an upper end of a pole for holding rigid the connections of said poles with said structure and locking means carried by and cooperating with said holding means.

8. In a collapsible tent, a plurality of composite poles each including three sections hingedly connected end to end, and a connecting structure hingcdly connected with the upper end of each of said poles, the intermediate hinge connection of each pole being foldable in a direction relatively inverse to the direction of intended fold of the other two hinge connections of each pole whereby the upper pole sections may be folded inwardly and lower pole sections may be folded outwardly and both sets of upper and lower poles brought to juxtaposition with the middle sections respectively.

9. In a collapsible tent a pole comprising sections hinged together end to end and a device hingedly connected with one section and provided with a loop adapted to embrace said section whereby automatically to lock said sections rigidly with respect to said device when they assume a relatively alined position.

10. In a collapsible tent a plurality of poles, each con'iprising sections hinged together end to end, a member hingedly connecting corresponding end sections of said poles and a rigid device turnably carried by said member and adapted laterally to emwrace said end sections when they assume a predetermined position whereby to lock them against hinge movement.

Signed by me, this 28th day of November,

SAMUEL MILLS. 

